R 121659Z JAN 24 MID120000803263U
FM COMCOGARD PSC WASHINGTON DC
TO ALCGENL
BT
UNCLAS
ALCGENL 011/24
SUBJ: MAY 2024 SERVICE WIDE EXAMINATION (SWE) COMPETITION
A. Service Wide Examination (SWE) Guide
B. Enlistments, Evaluations, and Advancements, COMDTINST M1000.2 (series)
C. Performance, Training and Education Manual, COMDTINST M1500.10C
D. ALCOAST 363/23, ENLISTED RATING ADVANCEMENT TRAINING SYSTEM (ERATS) FALL 
2023 UPDATE
E. Military Separations, COMDTINST M1000.4 (series)
1. Summary. This message announces the May 2024 SWE competition for all 
Ratings, except Cyber Mission Specialist (CMS), Musician (MU), and Public 
Affairs Specialist (PA). Commanding officers must ensure dissemination of 
this ALCGENL to all active duty enlisted members in their respective areas of 
responsibility. Members planning to compete in the SWE shall be aware of the 
requirements and guidelines contained in this ALCGENL. Failure to do so is 
not justification for a waiver to compete in the SWE. Furthermore, units, SWE 
Officers, Education Services Officers, and members planning to compete in the 
SWE shall familiarize themselves with the contents of references A thru E.
2. Schedule. SWEs will be administered per the following schedule. Any 
requests for deviation must comply with references A and B. Please note the 
change in administration from a 2-day to 4-day schedule.
a. 07 MAY 2024 (Tuesday) SWE for ADV to E-5.
b. 08 MAY 2024 (Wednesday) SWE for ADV to E-6.
c. 09 MAY 2024 (Thursday) SWE for ADV to E-7.
d. 10 MAY 2024 (Friday) SWE for ADV to E-8.
3. Waivers. This ALCGENL supersedes previously published waivers. The
following waivers apply:
a. SWE. The May 2024 SWE is waived only for BM2, CS2, DC2, EM2, ET2, and IT2
and will continue to be administered as a supplemental advancement list. 
b. RAT/AQE. All Rating Advancement Tests (RAT) and Enlisted Professional 
Military Education (EPME) Advancement Qualification Exams (AQE) are waived 
indefinitely.
c. LAMS. For advancement to E-6, completion of Leadership and Management 
(LAMS) Course prior to the 01 Feb 2024 SWE Eligibility Date (SED) is 
suspended. Members above the cutoff for E-6 must attend LAMS prior to 
advancing. The requirement to complete LAMS prior to the SED for advancement 
to E-6 will resume for the May 2025 SWE. 
d. Advancement Requirement Waivers. Requests for waivers of advancement 
requirements or waivers of completion deadlines must be sent prior to 01 
February 2024, the SWE Eligibility Date (SED). Failure by a candidate,
supervisor or supporting command to fulfill their responsibilities is not 
justification for a waiver of the PDE correction deadline (01 April 2024). 
Using the template in ref A, send requests for waivers via e-mail to PPC-DG-CustomerCare@uscg.mil and include member’s commanding officer/executive 
officer in Cc-line.
4. Candidate Responsibilities.
a. The online Personal Data Extract (PDE) must show a status of “Eligible” to 
receive an exam or to be ranked on the CMS or PA advancement eligibility
list. Candidates who participated in the previous SWE should not assume 
eligibility on the upcoming SWE. The Personal Data Extracts for the upcoming 
SWE must be verified. Candidates expecting extended time away from their unit 
(ie. extensive “C” schools, deployments, temporary duty, parental leave, 
etc.) from the SWE eligibility date to the end of the correction period 
should make alternate arrangements to verify and correct their PDE. 
Candidates are solely responsible for accuracy of all Personal Data Extract
information, including where the SWE will be shipped (Exam Board DEPT ID). 
Candidates shall report any incorrect Personal Data Extract information to 
their unit administrative office or Servicing Personnel Office (SPO). After 
reporting incorrect data, the candidate must follow-up to ensure PDE 
corrections were made by again verifying the updated online Personal Data 
Extract prior to the 01 April 2024 correction deadline. If the online 
Personal Data Extract has not been corrected, the candidate must submit a 
Trouble Ticket prior to 01 April 2024 to PPC by e-mail to PPC-DG-CustomerCare@uscg.mil. PDE corrections must be visible on the online Personal 
Data Extract and completed NLT 01 April 2024. Failure to report and verify 
online Personal Data Extract corrections by the deadline will result in a 
“Not Eligible” status for the SWE or loss of points in the final multiple. 
PDEs will be posted online in Direct Access (DA) under Self Service tab in 
February 2024.
b. EPME EPQs. Updated EPME EPQ guidance can be found at the ERATS SharePoint
page at https://uscg.sharepoint-mil.us/sites/erats_spo/SitePages/EventPlanHome.aspx.
5. Command Responsibilities.
a. Commanding officer responsibilities are detailed in Article 3.A.4. and 
fully amplified throughout Chapter 3 of ref B. The most common reason for 
member ineligibility is missing the most recent Enlisted Employee Review 
(EER). Per Article 3.A.5 of ref B, each candidate must have a current EER 
with a commanding officer’s recommendation for each new SWE cycle. For 
members competing in the SWE, the EER must be dated after 01 February 2023
and NLT than 01 February 2024. SWE-EERs must have all competencies populated 
in order to be valid. SWE-EERs must be finalized in DA no later than the 01 
April 2024 PDE correction deadline date with an effective date no later than
01 February 2024. SWE-EERs are not permitted when a Commanding Officer 
Recommendation Change (CORC) will suffice. For assistance with SWE-EERs, 
submit an email to HQS-SMB-CGPSC-EPM-3-Evaluations@uscg.mil.
b. If the commanding officer wishes to change an advancement recommendation, 
the CO must submit a Commanding Officer Recommendation Change (CORC)-EER per 
Article 4.D.3.i of ref B. CORC-EERs must be received NLT the 01 April 2024
PDE correction deadline. Note, CORC-EERs must have an effective date NLT 01 
February 2024. For any EER questions, including CORCs, contact HQS-SMB-CGPSC-EPM-3-Evaluations HQS-SMB-CGPSC-EPM-3-Evaluations@uscg.mil.
c. The commanding officer shall verify the candidate’s most current Rating 
Performance Qualifications (RPQs) and Enlisted Performance Qualification 
Standards (EPQS) were signed off prior to 01 February 2024. RPQs and EPQs 
must be completed and entered into Direct Access. A competency entry process 
guide has been created and is located on the ERATS SharePoint page. The 
commanding officer or designated unit Reviewer shall verify a candidate has 
completed the necessary qualifications and authorize entry into Direct Access
by the unit’s Personnel and Administration (P&A) entity. The completion and 
approval date of the rating competency code and enlisted performance 
qualification codes recorded in Direct Access must have an effective date on 
or prior to the 01 February 2024 SED to be considered for the May 2024 SWE. 
Both competency codes must appear in the member’s Direct Access competency 
record to receive an “Eligible” Personal Data Extract. Commands may enter 
backdated competency codes into Direct Access during the PDE correction 
period up until the 01 April 2022 Personal Data Extract correction deadline 
date. It is highly recommended the competency code be entered prior to the 01 
February 2024 SWE eligibility date so the initial Personal Data Extract shows 
a status of “Eligible” rather than entering backdated competency codes and 
requesting Personal Data Extract updates after Personal Data Extracts are 
released.
d. Units away from homeport on continuous deployment from early March until 
the SWE date can request early mailing of SWEs. Request of early mailing must 
be sent to PPC-DG-CustomerCare@uscg.mil. 
e. Exam board DEPT ID changes must be requested on or before 01 April 2024. 
DEPT ID changes are requested via PPC trouble ticket by submitting an email 
to PPC-DG-CustomerCare@uscg.mil.
f. Waivers of advancement requirements or completion deadlines must be 
requested on or before 01 February 2024.
g. Substitute SWEs must be requested by 13 May 2024. SWE Officers 
administering substitute exams shall adhere to the guidance outlined in 3.B.2 
of ref B and Page 27 of the SWE Officer Handbook. Substitute exams must be 
administered on the date authorized by Pay and Personnel Center (PPC) and may 
not be delayed due to personal leave or convenience.
h. SWE Officers forwarding exams for deployed members shall ensure a copy of 
the SWE Officer Handbook is included with the package and shall establish a 
method to verify receipt. This can be done by the required traceable shipment 
and an email to receiving command. SWE Officers forwarding exams OUTCONUS, or 
to deployed or underway units may contact PPC for additional guidance and can 
request hand carry by authorized personnel as a method of shipment.
6. SPO Responsibilities. Last day to complete PDE corrections in DA: 01 April 
2024.
7. Pay and Personnel Center (PPC) Responsibilities.
a. Post Personal Data Extracts in DA: February 2024.
b. Early mailing of SWEs to underway units: March 2024.
c. Mail SWEs to exam boards: April 2024.
d. Compute final multiple: June 2024.
e. Post profile letters in Direct Access: June 2024.
8. Personnel Service Center (PSC) Responsibilities. Publish SWE advancement 
eligibility list June 2024.
9. Miscellaneous.
a. All candidates may use non-programmable calculators. Consult the “SWE 
Officer Handbook”, on the PPC web pages at the following link: 
https://uscg.sharepoint-mil.us/sites/ppc/SitePages/PPC%20Advancements%20Service%20Validation%20and%20
Data%20Corrections.aspx for information regarding items that may be used by 
BM/OS candidates.
b. EERs in current pay grade will be used to compute the marks multiple 
within the date ranges listed in Article 3.A.7.b of ref B. The point start 
date (PSD) shown on the PDE will be computed per Article 3.A.17.c of ref B
and used to determine sea, surf, incentive, and award points. Candidates who 
advanced on/after 01 January 2010 will have a point start date equal to the 
day following the SWE eligibility date for that advancement. Candidates who 
have not advanced since 01 January 2010 will show a point start date equal to
their Active-Duty Base Date (ADBD). Candidates with broken service and with 
an adjusted ADBD may contact Pay and Personnel Center by e-mail at PPC-DG-CustomerCare@uscg.mil to request a point start date adjustment to capture 
prior service awards.
10. PPC(ADV) is the single POC for all SWE inquiries. They can be reached by 
e-mail at PPC-DG-CustomerCare@uscg.mil. For additional SWE information go to 
the PPC (ADV) home page at https://uscg.sharepoint-mil.us/sites/ppc/SitePages/PPC%20Advancements%20Service%20Validation%20and%20
Data%20Corrections.aspx
11. CAPT J. W. Guyer, Chief, Enlisted Personnel Management, CG Personnel
Service Center, sends.
12. Internet release authorized.
BT